A radio-frequency Identification (RFID) chip can transmit information to a reader in response to an interrogation signal or polling request from the reader. The RFID chip can be incorporated in a tag (RFID tag) which is placed on items such as baggage so that information can be passively captured. In this disclosure the term baggage item refers generally to items such as suitcases, packages, etc. entrusted to airlines and/or shipping companies at airports for shipping to a destination.
An RFID tag can be an active-type with its own power source, or a passive-type or battery-assisted passive type with no or limited power source. Both the passive-type and battery-assisted passive type will be referred to here as passive-type for sake of brevity. Placing an active-type RFID tag on some items may not be feasible do to financial considerations, weight, etc. On the other hand, placing a passive-type RFID tag on items may be more feasible; however, a power source will be needed to passively obtain information. Therefore, a device that can provide power to the RFID tag on the item as well as obtain the information from the RFID tag would be beneficial.
In a conventional baggage system, a baggage item is checked in at an initiating checkpoint such as, for example, a counter of an airport. Information indicative of the origin, destination(s), and customer name are printed on a tag which is placed on the baggage. The baggage item may be handled at many intermediate checkpoints, each of which themselves may be comprised of interim steps or processes, such as (i) loading on a transport to be transported to an airplane, (ii) loading from the transport onto the airplane, (iii) loading from the airplane onto a transport at the destination airport, and (iv) loading from the transport onto a carousel at the destination airport for pickup by the customer, to name only a few exemplary checkpoints.